Unfair and irresponsible reporting on LGBTQ issues will not be tolerated

Effective June 23, 2016, Aquí Estamos RGV, a youth-led queer and trans people of color organization, and RGV Trans Support, an organization that provides support for transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender-variant individuals and allies, will cease giving interviews and statements to CBS 4 News Rio Grande Valley until the news station receives a cultural competency training on reporting on LGBTQ issues.

On June 23, 2016, CBS 4 News published an article describing a trans woman being arrested following allegations of indecency with a child. Aquí Estamos and RGV Trans Support condemn all sexual violence and abuse and do not condone the trans woman’s alleged behaviors, but we will not tolerate local media outlets using someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation when committing a crime to create hysteria.

CBS 4 News’ sensationalizing the woman’s gender identity and misgendering her to simply increase traffic to their website and engagement on social media is unfair and irresponsible journalism. The hysteria they have caused could incite violence against trans and queer people and raise anti-LGBTQ sentiments in our community, both things that we work ardently to end.

This is not the first time a local outlet practices unfair and irresponsible journalism when reporting on LGBTQ individuals. Therefore, effective January 1, 2017, we will also not give any interviews to any local outlet who does not receive a cultural competency training on reporting on LGBTQ issues. We will be contacting each outlet to inform them of this decision.

We recommend contacting the following organizations for LGBTQ media trainings:

If any LGBTQ organization in the Rio Grande Valley wants to join the demands of Aquí Estamos and RGV Trans Support, email us at hola@aquiestamosrgv.org.

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Aquí Estamos is a youth-led, queer and trans people of color organization in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, a region along the U.S. Mexico border. You can find more about Aquí Estamos online at www.aquiestamosrgv.org.